prysmosfandomcom-20200215-history
The Star Stone
Arzon finds the means to bring back the Age of Science, but does he have the will to go through with it? Synopsis Two months have passed since the Darkling Lords lost the Sky Claw to the Spectral Knights. In that time, the blacksmith Harkon has created a new vehicle for them: the Dagger Assault. Unfortunately for the former engineer, he now finds himself the target of its powerful weapon systems, after a failed attempt to leave Darkstorm's service. Before Mortdred can use the Dagger Dart to execute Harkon, Arzon appears in the captured Sky Claw, protecting the Sprectral Knight territory the hunt has strayed into. Arzon manages to upset the flight of the Dagger Dart and send it crashing into the Dagger Assault's pilot, Reekon. Infuriated at the crash, Reekon punches out Mortdred. Arzon lands the Sky Claw and reaches Harkon, who manages to warn the Spectral Knight about a scroll that may end the Age of Magic before collapsing. Dismissing some hungry children, Arzon leaves with the engineer. As predicted by Reekon, Darkstorm isn't pleased that Harkon has escaped, blaming Mortdred for the failure and ruing that his ability to pilot the Sky Claw makes him too useful to kill. Mortdred insists that by using his beetle totem, he should be able to recapture the Sky Claw without the Spectral Knights noticing. Darkstorm agrees to the plan, but only if Reekon accompanies him. In New Valarak, Witterquick and Galadria are tending to Harkon, who mutters repeatedly about Meteor Peak and the potential end of magic. Arzon finds the prospect of bringing back science appealing, but Leoric tells him that the Age of Magic brought with it hope for a better society that the Spectral Knights should work with. Arzon shows Leoric the scroll Harkon had been carrying with him. It is a map of a familiar island, with text in a strange language. The pair compare the scroll to the Master Cartographs, unaware that they're being observed by the beetle and lizard of Mortdred and Reekon. The map turns out to be of Gravestone Bay, which lies only 70 miles north of New Valarak. The Darkling Lord spies decide to get there first in order, so steal back the Sky Claw and escape. Arzon gives chase, but is unable to stop them. Leoric sends the Spectral Knights to Gravestone Bay, except for Arzon and himself, who set out to Iron Mountain to consult Merklynn. Merklynn is less than impressed to be disturbed by the pair and tartly tells Arzon to just use his Knowledge power staff to learn about the scroll. Arzon does so and is able to read the scroll. It says that ten thousand years earlier, at the start of the Age of Science, a meteorite landed at Gravestone Bay. The local military scientists investigate and find that the meteorite is vibrating and that all technology that goes near it suffers from a "reversal effect" that reverses the basic principles of science. Tech-Colonel Fiesel saw the destructive capability of the meteorite and convinced his government to install a bomb in it, one that, when detonated, will cover the planet in dust possessing the reversal effect. Fiesel's doomsday weapon was completed, but his government soon fell and all record of the bomb was destroyed save for the scroll. Arzon is thrilled by the prospects of the weapon, as he believes that if triggered, it could reverse the "great change" and bring back the Age of Science. Merklynn doubts the wisdom of such a plan, but nonetheless teleports Arzon and Leoric to the location of the other Spectral Knights, to decide for themselves. The Spectral Knights reach Meteor Peak that evening, but find it surrounded by a thick barrier of thorns. Ectar changes to his fox totem and scouts a route for the other Knights to use. As the proceed, Leroic muses on the effect turning into animals might have on the Visionaries and whether they do indeed have the right to end the Age of Magic. Using Knowledge, Arzon finds the capstone on the peak, while Cryotek uses Strength to remove it and gain access to the facility. As the Knights explore and ponder the power of the massive doomsday device, they are surprised by the appearance of the Sky Claw, which promptly attacks. Cindarr and Cravex move into the facility, the latter using Fear on the Spectral Knights. As Feryl and Ectar struggle against its effects, they fall against two old vehicles in the facility, magically activating them. Darkstorm attempts to use Decay to destroy the Capture Chariot and Lancer Cycle before they can turn the tide of battle, but the beam instead hits one of the bomb's support beams and then Galadria. Enraged, Cryotek presses an attack, but is blocked by Lexor using Invulnerability. Cindarr follows this up with Destruction, but is punted out of the way by Ectar in the Lancer Cycle. Feryl uses the Capture Chariot to draw the Sky Claw's fire from the other Spectral Knights. This has allowed Arzon to find the trigger for the bomb. He tells Leoric, who expresses doubt as to whether they should activate it. The Spectral Knights' leader instructs Feryl to use his new vehicle to take out the broken support beam and destroy the bomb. Feryl hears Merklynn's voice and learns how to use the Capture Chariot's Fire power to take out the Sky Claw, which crashes into the broken strut. The two groups of Visionaries flee the facility as the bomb collapses and breaks beyond use. Outside, Darkstorm rants at Virulina and Mortdred for ruining the weapon, but Leoric tells him that the weapon would have been too terrible for anyone to use. Scoffing at the naivety of his enemy, Darkstorm and his troops depart, leaving Arzon and Leoric to consider the power of the weapon they've forsaken. Characters In order of appearance Quotes "What right have we to challenge tomorrow when we remain so ignorant about today?" :— Leoric ponders the possibility of ending the Age of Magic. "You're a weakling, Leoric. Ultimately your weakness will destroy you. And no one will oppose my will, and I''' will be supreme." :—For '''Darkstorm, when all else fails -- in this case, losing the bomb -- just insult Leoric instead. Notes Trivia * The Darkling Lords are said to control half the planet. Which is quite a lot for seven people. *In the background of one scene, Lexor tries giving Virulina flowers, but is violently rebuffed. Keep putting yourself out there, Lexor! *Page 6 sees the script fighting the art, as Reekon has to tell Mortdred that what he thinks is a soldier is just a statue. *The Capture Chariot and Lancer Cycle are leftovers from the Age of Science and were made to operate within the field of the reversal effect. *Leoric muses on how inhuman a knight's voice sounds when he speaks in his totem form, and whether he can still be a man even when transformed into a beast. *Witterquick is the lone Visionary absent from the battle for the bomb. A possible explanation is that he would have the next issue virtually all to himself. * The establishing shot of Darkstorm's Domain includes slightly off-model cameos from He-Man and Teela (from the Masters of the Universe movie). Errors *Cryotek is miscoloured as Witterquick while tending to Harkon. *Feryl is shown transforming into Ectar's fox totem, instead of his own wolf, while searching for an entrance to the doomsday facility. * On page 16, Darkstorm's armour is miscoloured in Darkling Lord gold instead of his usual dark green, and it looks GLORIOUS. *Similar to the previous issue, the cover doesn't really reflect the contents therein much. There's not really a demon and while Darkstorm does attack Galadria with his staff, it's hardly the crux of the story. Arzon, who carries the emotional core of the story, doesn't even merit inclusion. * To add insult to injury, Arzon also has it pretty rough on the technical front in this issue. On page 3, his skin is miscoloured navy blue in the second panel while his and Mortdred's dialogue are mixed up in the third. Add in a pair of continuity errors: first, his piloting the Sky Claw violates the rule of only the Visionaries without power staffs being able to activate vehicles. Second, when he and Leoric visit Merklynn for his help in deciphering the map, Arzon says he'd never tried using the spell of Knowledge despite having done just that in the previous issue. Ouch. Continuity notes *First appearance of the Capture Chariot, and the first and only appearance of the Lancer Cycle. *Final appearance of Ectar and the Sky Claw. *This issue sees the cover publisher logo change from Star Comics to Marvel. There is no mention of Star in this issue, but the logo appears on the title page the next two issues. Reprintings *''Visionaries'' (Marvel UK) #4 References Category:Star Comics Category:Media Category:Fiction